Lory Lodestro

Although just missing the major leagues, Lory Lodestro was one of
the top pitchers ever to come out of Chautauqua County and gave countless hours
to the youth of the area.

Lodestro was born on January 26, 1896, in Vallelunga, Italy, and came to
Falconer when he was four. He attended school until he was 12 and then left to
help support his parents and five brothers and a sister.

After World War I service in the Army overseas, Lodestro pitched very successfully
from 1918-1923 in the minor leagues for such teams as Syracuse and
Newark of the International League, which was just a step away from the majors.

Also, he hurled for Saginaw and Kitchner of the Michigan-Ontario League,
Hagerstown of the Blue Ridge League and Petersburg and Rocky Mount of the
Virginia League, Lancaster of the Mid-Atlantic League and Lowell of the New
England League.

Lodestro later became a player, coach and manager with numerous area
baseball teams. He was also an outstanding volunteer as he taught baseball and
football to area youngsters for 54 years.

He coached six Junior American League baseball teams to five county championships
and one district title. Additionally, he guided three county association
squads, the Falconer town team and several Babe Ruth teams.

Lory Lodestro, second from right, played for the 1915 Ariels baseball team.

Lodestro was the type of person whose main objective was sportsmanship
rather than winning.

Nicknamed Larry Peel, Lodestro had several players he coached on the first
Pony League team for Jamestown.

In his younger days, Lodestro played tackle for the semi-pro Falconer
Merchants and one of his teammates was Henry Mosher, who died in World War I
and has the Henry Mosher Post 638 in Falconer named in his honor.

When a brochure was printed commemorating Falconer's centennial, it stated
about Lodestro, "He taught us so well, and he died without an enemy in the
world; he was low pitch, easy going, a strong man with plenty of courage and a dislike
for any reference to star status." Lodestro was married to Grace Ognibene
in 1923 and were parents of four children - Lorraine LaMancuso, Sally Gregory,
Rose Marie Johnson and Lucian Lodestro and had 10 grandchildren.

Deceased Post-Journal Sports Editor Frank Hyde, who was inducted into the
Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 1983, wrote in his 1977 "Frankly Speaking"
column that "fellows like Lory Lodestro, the old furniture worker, come along
periodically during a lifetime. Often their talents and their great personalities are
overlooked until they pass on. Then their true character is appreciated and
missed. That was Lory Lodestro, who played sports and the game of life with the
gusto of a true champion."

Lory Lodestro died in 1977. He was inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.

More about Lory Lodestro

1994 Hall of Fame Inductees

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